Lets talk Chainsaws

[JimIsland]

To each his own but no battery-operated chainsaw for me. I bought a Stihl back in September of 89, one week before Hurricane Hugo slammed into Charleston. I still have that chainsaw, and have done nothing but routine maintenance on it. I've been through chains, a few bars and replaced the fuel line once. It refuses to die and runs as good as the day I bought it 37 years ago. It's a 16" and is handy and lightweight. Stihl FTW in my book!

 

[Rich M]

I have corded electric and battery and gas chain saws.

Love the quietness of the electric and battery saws. They have torque up to a point. Once a tree is more than say 10-12 inches across, you can drain a battery saw quick. It will cut a pile of 4-6-inch limbs before running out tho'.

Gas saws for "real jobs" and battery for minor trimming and some cutting.

At 85, my dad likes using battery saws and won't touch gas powered anymore. He wants to help, so let him help.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Owned Huskies, Stihls, and Echos.
Will only buy Echo from this point forward. They are the easiest to start cold IMO.
If you only need a saw to cut for 30 minutes at a time go battery. Before we moved out of TN my battery Echo was my go to. Just pick it up and pull the trigger.

 

[tony]

Looking at the Echo Timberwolf seems to get good reviews. Plus a 5 year consumer warranty.

 

[ColeyG]

Chainsaws are like boats, or guns. You may not need more than one, but having a quiver at your disposal is pretty nice based on application and intended use

If I had to pick one saw to do it all; drop trees, make firewood, prune, climb with, etc. it would be the Stihl 261 all day.

The power to weight ratio and versatility is the best in the Stihl lineup. Being one of the pro saws, it has the mag clutch cover and will generally be more durable with similarly sized saws. I find myself reaching for this saw more than the handful of others I have in the lineup.

Big production and big wood, the 500i is my go-to and it absolutely rips. Less power than the 6/800 saws, but much lighter and easier to wield. More than enough power for anyone for anyone but perhaps some production fellers working big wood. If you have it ported and put a Bark Box on it, it will keep up with any saw out there. Basically, can't bog it down. Kinda scary.

My first saw was the 290 and I still have it, but it rarely gets used falling between the 500i and 261 and being a homeowner saw with a lackluster power to weight ratio. I ported the exhaust which woke it up a bit, but still not as peppy as the 261.

I wind up using a 180C for limbing and groundwork and it is a great performer for the cost. Not a pro saw but surprising performance in an easy to handle package. If I was made of money the 201 would fill this niche.

For climbing I picked up a Stihl MSA161T battery saw and have had nothing but problems with it. The chain tension won't stay put, the thin kerf chain and skinny bar is super finicky about bar orientation, and it hangs up constantly, power to weight ratio sucks, heavier than gas counterparts with far less power. I will be replacing it with a Ripsaw ported Echo 2511T for a dedicated climbing saw.

If a pro saw is out of reach for price, there are lots of things you can do to the homeowner line of saws to get some more performance and life out of them. West Coast Saw makes some aftermarket air filters and ported exhaust products that can boost the performance of saw 8-10% for less than $100 for everything. Aftermarket dogs can make a big difference in making straight, efficient cuts. Eagan Saws is another source for performance upgrades for a wide range of saws.

The Stihl 2-in-1 file guides take most of the brainwork out of sharpening chains by addressing angle of attack and filing both the cutters and rakers/depth gauges.






Got wood?

 

[RME]

View attachment 1050249

What's that blue climbing device you're using? There's so many devices arborists are using these days it's hard to keep up

 

[ColeyG]

What's that blue climbing device you're using? There's so many devices arborists are using these days it's hard to keep up

That is a petzl grigri, belay/rappel device.

I mainly stick with petzl products for ascending and descending devices having used them for years in the climbing/mountaineering world.

The zig zag and pantin click are a good combo for going up and down.

 

[B Harrison]

I would stay clear of anything homeowner grade, regardless of the advertised “professional quality “

If new ….50 cc pro saw, no other options
Used 50 or 60 Pro Saw

Pro saws are split Magnesium Cases
Pro saws have adjustable carbs or autotune
Pro saws have adjustable oilers
Pro saws 50 plus have 2 bar nuts.

Husky makes some medium use pro saws
555
560

Stay away from Ranchers, regardless of what people tell you.


My current saws are
346 XP rebuilt 2x 4 years pro use mine since 2013. It runs faster than anything else around then

562 XP mk1 Ported

268 xp se 1990 model, will still out cut the newer small 60’s

Stihl 260/261 is a good option from them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RME]

That is a petzl grigri, belay/rappel device.

I mainly stick with petzl products for ascending and descending devices having used them for years in the climbing/mountaineering world.

The zig zag and pantin click are a good combo for going up and down.

My tree work days are long gone. Unfortunately I left the business right before the SRT revolution hit. I still do a little rec climbing and work on my own trees but that’s it. I have a Rope Wrench but don’t use it. I bought a Hitch Hiker HHxf when they came out and that’s a better device for me. Being able to switch back and forth from DDrT to SRT is easier for an old school climber like me that doesn’t know all the SRT tricks

 

[madgrad02]

Now I know husky/stihl/echo is going to be a better unit, but I picked up a Holzforma G660, unit can cut. Definitely not small, but I've got enough land to where the bigger saw and bar have helped in some larger trees and not something I'm relying on daily.

 

[KsRancher]

Husqvarna has a new saw out. Its a 564 that is supposed to be a helluva saw. I dont personally have any experience with it. They say its a 60cc saw that wieghs like a 50cc and cuts like a 70cc

 

[ChrisA]

I bought my first saw in about 2002, a Jonsered 2165 with 20" bar. It's been a solid unit for the farm which has many hickory, white oak, bass, walnut, ash, hackberry, etc. The Jonny is a bit big for mulberrys in the fence lines and limbing so we picked up a Stihl MS 180c which has been a super addition and my go to for medium to small jobs.

The Jonsered 2165 is basically the same as a Husqvarna 365 with many interchangeable parts, just not the nearly impossible to find air filter so I ordered two of the last OEM Jonsered air filters I could find and bought a Stihl MS 462 C-M with 25" bar. Yes, seems like I had more money than sense at the time but man that 462 is a nice modern saw with fuel injection, and runs fast and smooth. Love the 25" bar for firewood, big blow downs, and getting under a big multiflora rose.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

I cut multiple cords a year and alaskan mill lumber.

Its all in the chain. 50cc is perfectly fine. Don't let "Big saw" tell you that you need a 90 CC saw for firewood.

 

[Outlaw99]

Ms261 and be done. No argument on this one

 

[BradArnett]

My most used saw is a ne 346xp, I use a 16 and 18" bar on it. Have some cheap chains for super dirty work and stihl rs chains for cleaner work. Also use a 562xp for bigger wood. Have 1 oe and 1 ne 346xp on the bench here that need to be rebuilt when I find the time. I have a few cheaper saws too that don't hardly ever get used except to hand to someone who wants to borrow a saw.

 

[ColeyG]

Six tanks of gas through the 500i milling 8’ 6x6 boards today. Love that thing.

 

[IDVortex]

I just supported China and bought a Stihl Clone... aka, its going to be a perfect saw to leave in my truck during spring bear and not worry of someone breaks in and steals it. Be curious to see if the reviews of the saw live up to par.

 

[JoeK]

Ok So I Suck at shooting and I don't know jack about hunting either but I know a good bit about chainsaws and cutting wood....I'll try to organize a few thoughts and probably get longwinded anyway. Oh well.

7yrs running my own company as an Arborist and do 99% of my own repairs and maintenance on too many chainsaws. Brand loyalty is a thing in anything (I like Chevy more than Ford, and Tikkas) but when it comes to chainsaws I get asked often about what brand I like best and my answer is the sharper one. Definitely the #1 tip for chainsawing is keeping it sharp. #2 is minding your gas. I can only get ethanol pump gas so if it's a saw that might sit for more than a few weeks it gets "fancy gas" from a steel can (Stihl for consistency sake).
I've had good results with Stihl, Husky and especially impressed with the value and ease of maintenance of echo saws. I've had issues with all of them too. No saw will run well more than one good tank of gas without cooling off time if it's 110* and gas in the lines starts boiling. never leave'em laying in the sun around here. We'll wet a towel from the water cooler and cover'em up in the shade if I really need that saw to run again within an hr. Batteries suck in that kind of heat too, especially for big cuts but they are easier to cool off with a wet rag vs a gas saw.

I LOVE my Milwaukee tophandle(14") on climbing work. I do more trim work than removals and climbing around with an idling saw on my hip, or pull starting 100+ times a day for a few cuts at a time gets so old. Once I went battery It actually changed my quality of life. the newer Forge batteries are in fact significantly better. Need to run the 8ah. 12ah are too freaking heavy in the tree but good for the 16" rear handle saw on the ground. It's a lot heavier than the CS-2511T and It doesn't quite keep up with my 201T (16") but it's not too far behind. I only use the 201T for bigger removals where I can use more bar and it's been sitting in the garage for a while. The Milwaukee has power and torque and cuts to satisfy professional use. The convenience of the instant on battery is unmatched, and it doesn't have any filters to maintain either. I have been enjoying the uberlight echo CS-2511(12") again lately for small jobs and it is a pleasure going back to such a light saw on a climb once in a while.

Around here at least 80% of my work is on Mesquites, and if I get into a 60-70ft Aleppo Pine or Eucalyptus up 30"+ in diameter it's a notably Big tree. Diameter and job specifics (Felling, Bucking, Trimming, Dead tree, Live tree etc) makes a huge difference in what the best saw for the job is. Species matters a LOT too. Try cutting up dead Eucalyptus with aggressive depth rakers and you'll regret it. I set'em at .025 which is the max that works for me in dead hardwood all day without dulling too fast or binding. Then green trees or pine feels still feels like butter anyways. If you're in conifers or cut mostly live trees then file'em on down and let it eat if you've got the power to pull it through.

I don't have anywhere near the experience with larger saws that the logging or forestry guys do who live in timber country.

Stihl M-tronics saws have been 100% awesome for me. I bought a 201T, 362C, and 661C about 5 yrs ago and have had zero issues with them at all. They are some of my best cutting saws. My local Tech/Dealer says they are particular about having clean air filter. I keep filters clean(compressed air) as I do all my saws but I replace the filters on these a little sooner than regular carb saws. I also run Stihl premixed gas in these as i don't use them every week. regular workhorse saws (MS391, Husq51, CS-400) just get pump premium and it doesn't sit in them long enough to cause problems. Any saw that might be sitting for a few weeks or more gets the fancy gas and that makes a huge difference in avoiding carb woes.

I love my 50cc Husqvarna. 50-60cc is IMO the most versatile size for a do all saw. unless you actually NEED bigger or faster production environment. I started my company with a 55Rancher and a 20"bar. I wore it out, put on a $50 asian top end kit and ran it another year or two. Luckily I came across a barely used 51 in great condition and it's been even better, but I take better care of it too. (don't push dull chains through a stump to git'er done just stop and swap on a fresh chain or just grab a different saw that's sharp and not already hot from cutting the rest of the tree)

Sure if your a professional cutter you'll appreciate more bar and more power, but as a couple other guys noted fatigue is real too. I usually have at least 5-6 saws of different sizes in the truck on the daily and select the one that's just big (heavy) enough for most of the work at hand until I get into bigger cuts and reach for more horsepower. If your bucking up logs for firewood you may want 24-28"bar and 70cc+ but if your cutting small trees, limbing, or even cutting up 10-12" stuff I'll take a 20" 50cc saw.

The echo cs-400 with an 18" bar can do work, a lot of work, and has excellent durability and little maintenance. They just work when you pull the starter and they won't wear you out to carry it around cutting all day. If 18" is enough bar and 40cc power class that's the jam for me. lighter than the options I've had from Stihl or Husqvarna and it just runs without problems for years of heavy use. finally had to rebuild and eventually replaced a couple carbs but compared to how often I've replaced diaphrams on my Stihl saws the echo earns praise. My 2.5yrs employee has himself a CS590 and speaks well of it too.

That's probably enough outa me. I'll go back to my hole.

 

[JoeK]

If anyone wants a deal on a new 362c I've never even put gas in this one because my 5yr old one still just rips and I usually only use it maybe once or twice a month...

 

[Wilderlife]

I'm a Stihl fan but I'd happily use a Husky if I had one. I've had an 023 for a few years but I got it off my dad who got it brand new, and it's good for the smaller stuff or the heads of trees when I don't feel like lugging around a bigger saw.

I had a 391 for a few years and it did me well and then I decided to upgrade and got a 462 - more power and less weight. Winning!

I have multiple chains and run either a 20in or 25in bar, depending on the wood. The stuff I cut down here is I believe a heck of a lot harder than most of what is getting cut in the northern hemisphere, so we tend to err on the side of a shorter bar to make sure oil is getting everywhere it needs to.

Stringybark is the main one I cut for loads to sell, but we also cut a lot of yellow box, ironbark, and red gum. I'm just a marketplace firewood supplier and do it for pocket money, but I cut more than my fair share most of the time and enjoy having a saw that makes life easy.

462 is likely too big for whatever is being asked of in this thread but the 023 is a fantastic little saw.